THE WHALE FISHERY. 131 



mail's pay was 67 cents per day; oue merchant alone lost over $60,000.* And as it was with 

 Naii tucket, so it was in a degree with all the whaling ports.t With an energy characteristically 

 American, they sought, on the return of peace, to retrieve their losses. Scarcely had the echo of 

 the hostile guns died away, scarcely had the joyful news of peace reached their ports, when the 

 whalemen began to equip anew for their fishery. The Bedford, just returned to Nantucket from a 

 voyage, was immediately loaded with oil and dispatched to London, arriving in the Downs on the 

 3d of February. Her appearance was thus chronicled by an "Euglish magazine of that day : ' The 

 ship Bedford, Captain Mooers,f belonging to the Massachusetts, arrived iu the Downs the 3d of 

 February, passed Gravesend the 4th, & was reported at the Custom- House the 6th instant. She 

 was not allowed regular entry until some consultation had taken place between the commissioners 

 of the customs & the lords of council, on account of the many acts of parliament yet in force 

 against the rebels in America. She is loaded with 487 butts of whale oil; is American built; 

 mauned wholly by American seamen; wears the rebel colors & belongs to the Island of Nan- 

 tucket iu Massachusetts. This is the first vessel which displayed the thirteen rebellious stripes of 

 America in any British Port. The vessel lies at Horseley down a little below the Tower, and is 

 intended immediately to return to New England.' Immediately after, almost simultaneously with 

 her, arrived another ship from Nantucket the Industry, Capt. John Chadwick, while the sloop 

 Speedwell, James Whippey, master, was sent to Aux Cayes.|| Those at Nantucket who had 

 capital left resumed the whale fishery with as many vessels as they could procure. Long compar- 

 ative immunity from capture had caused the whaling-grounds to become repopulated, and the 

 whales themselves had become less shy and hence more easily killed. Directly succeeding the 

 war the products of the fishery commanded good prices, and soon other ports entered into compe- 

 tition. New London, Sag Harbor, Hudson", N. Y., Boston, Hiugham, Wellfleet, Braintree,1j Ply- 

 mouth, Bristol, each sent out one or more whale hunters. For a brief time the business promised 

 much profit, but the fever was a fitful one. The excessive prices which the commodity commanded 

 immediately after the war** rapidly became reduced; Great Britain, the only market for the sperm 

 oil, had, by an alien duty of 18 sterling per ton, practically precluded its shipment from America. 

 Oil which before the war was worth 30, now scarcely brought 17, while to cover expenses and 

 leave a reasonable margin for profit, 25 were required.tt The situation was indeed desperate- 

 almost hopeless." 



ESTABLISHMENT OP BOUNTY SYSTEM BY >i ASSACDUSETTS. " In the discussion of means for 

 relief many of the people of Nantucket expressed the opinion that if the island could be made 

 neutral commercial affairs might assume a more healthy tone A memorial was finally sent to the 

 legislature of Massachusetts praying relief, and the agents presenting it were instructed to have 

 the subject of neutrality acted upon. As may be readily supposed, however, the invidious legisla- 

 tion that Nantucket was unable to obtain during the war, she would scarcely be likely to get on 

 its conclusion, and the subject of neutrality was very pioperly dismissed. That the depression in 

 the whaling business needed some alleviation was, however, loo evident to require discussion, and 



" William Rotch, esq." 



"t Warren, R. I., Buffered a loss of 12 vessels (about 1,100 tons), of which at least two were whalemen. (Hist, of 

 Warren, p. 101. )" 



" t Capt. William Mooers, who sailed for many years in the employ of Messrs. Kotch & Co. It is related that one 

 of the crew of the vessel first showing the American flag in the Thames was hump-backed. Oue day a British sailor 

 meetiug him clapped his hand upon tho American's shoulder, sayiug, 'Hilloa, Jack, what have yon got heref 

 'Bunker Hill and be d d to you,' replied the Yankee, ' will you mount! '" 



" The Bedford was built iu 17C5, by Ichabod Thomas, at North River. She was built a brig." 



". || Letter of William Rotch. esq." " IT One. small schooner of 38 tons burden hailed from Braintree." 



Macy's Nantncket, 121." " tt See Mr. Rolen's MS." 



it *tf ' 



